He was fired for never really installing a very good offense all of last year and then being swept in the 2nd round. Whether that was fair or not can be debated.

The truth of the matter is, this Lakers team is really old and stiff with no bench. Having a bench of Farmar, Ariza, and Shannon Brown would look like the 92 Dream Team compared to this Lakers' bench. Everything they do comes out of the half court. They literally have no one that scares anybody in the fast break. You saw it on Wednesday. The Jazz clearly had a gear that they didn't. Our bigs were faster, more explosive, and a greater threat on the break than their SFs. How many times did Ron Artest get stuffed despite having breakaway layups/dunks? I remember both Hayward and Foye made him look silly. Never knew Foye was such a dominate shot blocker... Even Kanter had more breakaway dunks than their guards. Kanter folks. Kanter.

So I don't think it really matters who they have coach them. D'Antoni, JSlo, or Phil Jackson... They just cannot keep up with the younger, quicker, and more explosive team in the west. That's why that CP3 trade hurt them so badly.

So I don't think it really matters who they have coach them. D'Antoni, JSlo, or Phil Jackson... They just cannot keep up with the younger, quicker, and more explosive team in the west. That's why that CP3 trade hurt them so badly.

.....I think you hit the nail on the head! Although it looked good on paper offensively, Nash is almost 40 years old and couldn't stay in front of my mother....who's been dead for 3 years! This team would have to outscore their opponents and with an 82 game grinding season with their old legs and no bench, it's just not going to happen. Sloan coming out of retirement to coach this team is a colossal joke! Unless Sloan is broke and about to stand in a a bread line, he's not coaching ANY NBA team ever again. He's through with the pathetic modern day athlete, especially the ones in the NBA! I don't think Jackson wants to fool with these clowns, either. Unless they throw a ton of money at him, he's not coming back. That leaves the Suns old coach. He could do the job and fit as well as any coach could possibly fit....if Nash can get healthy and stay healthy. It's entirely possible that the current Lakers as they are constructed.....are the proverbial "train wreck." Too old, no bench, no continuity, just a train wreck!

A few items of note from the Jackson-Lakers meeting include Jackson looking to not have to travel to all road games and Jackson wanting some say over basketball decisions, which I assume to mean personnel moves.

I thought you didnt believe in conspiracy theories? You dont think all the players got together and decided to tank until he was gone do you?

Hmmmm

My gut tells me there is a little conspiracy theorist in you after all.

One, I know I'm throwing out some wild speculation and I'm open to the possibility that my guess is wrong. Two, read Niccolo Machiavelli's take on conspiracies. It isn't that conspiracies can't happen, but that the larger they get the more precarious the position of each ever increasing "member" of the conspiracy. In this case it could have been a casual conversation amongst Kobe and 2-3 other teammates, all of whom have similar interests in the matter and all of whom face the same risks and possibles rewards. In order to carry out the conspiracy those 3-4 players just had to try a little less hard. Difficult to prove that a player tried a little less hard than you thought they could have.

If you'd like me to break down 1/1000 of what would have been required to fake the 9/11 attacks you'll see it would be infinitely more complex, would have required actions that could be explained in no other way than direct involvement in the attacks and required thousands of people, some of whom gain almost nothing from their participation and would gain much much more by exposing the conspiracy.

As regards his own subjects, when affairs are quiet abroad, he has to fear they may engage in secret plots; against which a Prince best secures himself when he escapes being hated or despised, and keeps on good terms with his people; and this, as I have already shown at length, it is essential he should do. Not to be hated or despised by the body of his subjects, is one of the surest safeguards that a Prince can have against conspiracy. For he who conspires always reckons on pleasing the people by putting the Prince to death; but when he sees that instead of pleasing he will offend them, he cannot summon courage to carry out his design. For the difficulties that attend conspirators are infinite, and we know from experience that while there have been many conspiracies, few of them have succeeded.

5

He who conspires cannot do so alone, nor can he assume as his companions any save those whom he believes to be discontented; but so soon as you impart your design to a discontented man, you supply him with the means of removing his discontent, since by betraying you he can procure for himself every advantage; so that seeing on the one hand certain gain, and on the other a doubtful and dangerous risk, he must either be a rare friend to you, or the mortal enemy of his Prince, if he keep your secret.

6

To put the matter shortly, I say that on the side of the conspirator there are distrust, jealousy, and dread of punishment to deter him, while on the side of the Prince there are the laws, the majesty of the throne, the protection of friends and of the government to defend him; to which if the general good-will of the people be added, it is hardly possible that any should be rash enough to conspire. For while in ordinary cases, the conspirator has ground for fear only before the execution of his villainy, in this case he has also cause to fear after the crime has been perpetrated, since he has the people for his enemy, and is thus cut off from every hope of shelter.

One, I know I'm throwing out some wild speculation and I'm open to the possibility that my guess is wrong. Two, read Niccolo Machiavelli's take on conspiracies. It isn't that conspiracies can't happen, but that the larger they get the more precarious the position of each ever increasing "member" of the conspiracy. In this case it could have been a casual conversation amongst Kobe and 2-3 other teammates, all of whom have similar interests in the matter and all of whom face the same risks and possibles rewards. In order to carry out the conspiracy those 3-4 players just had to try a little less hard. Difficult to prove that a player tried a little less hard than you thought they could have.

If you'd like me to break down 1/1000 of what would have been required to fake the 9/11 attacks you'll see it would be infinitely more complex, would have required actions that could be explained in no other way than direct involvement in the attacks and required thousands of people, some of whom gain almost nothing from their participation and would gain much much more by exposing the conspiracy.

The problem with that theory is it doesnt take into account the fact that conspiracy theories and the people who talk about them, are publicly shunned and ridiculed., and automatically discredited from the start. Which makes it awfully hard for anyone to come forward, or for any story to gain momentum. And when you are talking about one that would involve the most powerful people in the world, I dont find it hard to believe that people can be silenced if they did try.

I also dont think the 911 event would take as many people as you think. All it takes is the people at the top to give orders for people to shut up about certain things. And even those people may only have a couple pieces of knowledge that doesnt prove anything. When it comes down to it, most people will just try to save themselves. If they are worried about their job and family

Look at the Penn St case for example. A lot of people there knew what was going on, but decided to keep quiet for the sake of their own preservation. And that's even when it involved childrens lives being destroyed. That mess went on for years before it hit daylight.

Anyways, I dont really care to argue about 911. It already been made up in the minds of most americans what happened that day regardless if any rational argument can be made for the case of a conspiracy. The only way a healthy conversation can even be had about it is if the main stream media says its ok. Which is just sad that people will only believe what the main stream media tells them, even though it is widely known that these media companies are all owned by just a few people. So I guess we all can only believe what a small group of people want us to believe. Hell, it isnt even hard for them to keep it that way either when they have the power of societal pressure on their side. Right? I mean, you can disagree with all that I just said except the part about how its not cool to talk about this stuff. Right? Thats my point right there. No one can even be heard or taken seriously if they bring up something like 911. So that right there provides fertile soil for would be conspirators to do whatever they want, for they know it will be easy to get away with because society wouldnt dare discuss it on a big stage or even small ones. In fact the bigger the conspiracy and harder to believe it could happen, probably the easier it is to get away with.

The thing is too about discussing 911, is that the only argument the other side ever has is.... people cant keep secrets.... blahhhh... pretty weak really. Its just like pulling the race card. It doesnt even have to have merit to work, because it works every time.